Various events led to the foundation of the Muslim League. In this context, describe the following:

(a) The Aligarh Politics

(b) The Hindu — Urdu Controversy

(a) The Aligarh movement led by Nawab Mohsin-ul-Mulk, worked to instill into the minds of the Muslims a spirit of loyalty towards the British government and worked deliberately to keep the Muslims away from the main stream of Indian political life. When the Hindu-Urdu controversy raged in 1900, the Nawab criticised the government's order granting equal status to Hindi and Urdu in U.P. The Lt. Governor of UP, Macdonnell, was furious and demanded that he should separate himself from the agitation against the government order. Muslim leaders became angry. They suggested that a political organisation of the Muslims should be set up, thus leading to the formation of the Muslim League.

(b) In the United Provinces (now Uttar Pradesh), petitions to the offices and courts were submitted only in Urdu, as it was the court language. The Hindus for long demanded a change in this procedure. Finally on 8 April 1900, the government gave instructions that petitions written in Hindi in the Devanagari script would also be accepted. The Muslims resented this directive and called for protest meetings all over the province. The Hindus held counter meetings and the controversy continued for months, as the rift between the two communities widened, leading to the formation of the Muslim League.